John 3:7-8 "So don't be surprised at my statement that you must be born again. Just as you hear the wind but you can't tell where it comes from or where it is going, so you can't explain how people are born of the Spirit."
Do you remember this conversation between Jesus and Nicodemus, a very respected Jewish teacher in Israel, late one night on the Mount of Olives? Maybe this is the first time you've heard this scripture. Maybe you've heard it several times before. No matter which applies to you, it's always good to just dig deeper.
I've been thinking a lot about the Holy Spirit and how incredibly important it is that I take some time to learn more about this sweet, sweet gift. But more importantly, how to "carry the Spirit with me" through all the many seasons of life.
Back to the conversation between Nicodemus and Jesus. Nicodemus was one of the members of the Sanhedrin, a council that acts like the supreme court for all Jewish disputes. So you can imagine how secretive this meeting must have been between this well-known Jewish leader and Jesus of Nazareth, viewed by the Sanhedrin as a false prophet stirring up trouble.
Jesus is foreshadowing the days to come, after His death, in the conversation you read above. Jesus is telling Nicodemus that the Holy Spirit will give him new life once God's will has been carried out.
Now Nicodemus is a man who knows the scripture very well and he isn't sure of this Spirit that Jesus speaks of. So like the human in all of us, he doubts.
You see, God is three persons in one- the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. God became a man, in the form of Jesus, to live on earth under the same temptations we go through today, to ultimately die for our sins and conquer death! Jesus ascended into heaven, but promised to send the Holy Spirit so that His spiritual presence could still be with us! Look at Luke 24:49 where Jesus promises to the disciples that the Holy Spirit will come.
So back to Nicodemus' doubting. It's a natural thing for us to doubt and wonder about things we don't understand. It impossible for us to fathom how truly incredible God is... that He would come down to His creation, Earth, and take on the form of a man (when He absolutely did not have to) is beyond words. That He would endure the brutality of beatings and the cross, because He loved us, THAT MUCH.
Our minds can't possibly wrap around this idea.
So we doubt.
But Jesus says this in John 14:6 "I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one can come to the Father except through me."
So how can we receive the Holy Spirit in our lives.
We must believe.
I'm not forgetting Nicodemus here, but I'm going to fast forward to after Jesus' death. The disciples are frightened and doubtful that they will live to see another day without suffering the same fate as Jesus from the Sanhedrin and the Romans, because they publicly followed their Rabbi, or teacher.
So they hide themselves in an upper room, away from their many persecutors. Can you imagine their fear? They hear every sound from the busy street below...people yelling, children crying, Roman soldiers and their horses clopping down the cobblestone streets.
Yet in their most fearful moment, they pray.
They come together in unison and pray for the Holy Spirit to come to them as Jesus promised.
The disciples begin saying a prayer that Jesus taught them (in Matthew 6:9-13) that is still used today called "The Lord's Prayer" and it goes like this:
And while saying this prayer in unison, the Holy Spirit came upon them.
Just like the wind Nicodemus did not see, but he felt.
They all suddenly began to speak in different languages they didn't know. Not permanently. But the Holy Spirit was preparing the disciples to be able to speak to all the nations of all the earth, sharing God's infinite love for every one of us, baptizing the new believers in the name of Jesus, so that they can be born again to conquer death, just as Jesus did, and meet our Father in heaven.
You can read all about how the Holy Spirit comes upon the disciples from Luke, in the second chapter of Acts, or here in this link if you do not have a Bible.
Gosh what an awesome feeling! I'm just in awe of how AMAZING our Father is. He loves us more than we could EVER imagine and He so desperately wants to have a close relationship with you!!!
I'm learning first hand how wonderful this relationship is!!
It consumes my every thought, every day. And I'm so thankful for that! Because it allows me to immediately give all of life's worries to Him and He hears my every word, EVERY SINGLE TIME WE TALK!
He tells us to pray without ceasing. Think of the Holy Spirit as our direct line to the Father. He offers this free long-distance call to all who believe in Him and want a relationship with him! Make that call TODAY friends!
Father, thank you so much for Your loving sacrifice. We need Your presence now more than ever. The world we live in causes us to doubt and fear constantly, but we know that if we earnestly call on Your name, You will provide us with peace and the assurance we need through whatever trials we may be going through. Lord, thank you for giving us a direct line to You, that we can call upon You at any time in our life and You will answer! Lord, let us be filled with Your spirit and share this knowledge that we now know, with all those we know, and let us not be afraid to do so. We love You Father and thank you for all our many blessings! -Amen.
As always, if I can help/pray for you, please let me know! ae.ellingburg@gmail.com
Until next time :)
-A
Do you remember this conversation between Jesus and Nicodemus, a very respected Jewish teacher in Israel, late one night on the Mount of Olives? Maybe this is the first time you've heard this scripture. Maybe you've heard it several times before. No matter which applies to you, it's always good to just dig deeper.
 |
| Side note: This is the view of the western slopes of the Mount of Olives. Gah..gorgeous! I've already made up my mind, I'm going one day! Click here for more pics! |
Back to the conversation between Nicodemus and Jesus. Nicodemus was one of the members of the Sanhedrin, a council that acts like the supreme court for all Jewish disputes. So you can imagine how secretive this meeting must have been between this well-known Jewish leader and Jesus of Nazareth, viewed by the Sanhedrin as a false prophet stirring up trouble.
Jesus is foreshadowing the days to come, after His death, in the conversation you read above. Jesus is telling Nicodemus that the Holy Spirit will give him new life once God's will has been carried out.
Now Nicodemus is a man who knows the scripture very well and he isn't sure of this Spirit that Jesus speaks of. So like the human in all of us, he doubts.
You see, God is three persons in one- the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. God became a man, in the form of Jesus, to live on earth under the same temptations we go through today, to ultimately die for our sins and conquer death! Jesus ascended into heaven, but promised to send the Holy Spirit so that His spiritual presence could still be with us! Look at Luke 24:49 where Jesus promises to the disciples that the Holy Spirit will come.
So back to Nicodemus' doubting. It's a natural thing for us to doubt and wonder about things we don't understand. It impossible for us to fathom how truly incredible God is... that He would come down to His creation, Earth, and take on the form of a man (when He absolutely did not have to) is beyond words. That He would endure the brutality of beatings and the cross, because He loved us, THAT MUCH.
Our minds can't possibly wrap around this idea.
So we doubt.
But Jesus says this in John 14:6 "I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one can come to the Father except through me."
So how can we receive the Holy Spirit in our lives.
We must believe.
I'm not forgetting Nicodemus here, but I'm going to fast forward to after Jesus' death. The disciples are frightened and doubtful that they will live to see another day without suffering the same fate as Jesus from the Sanhedrin and the Romans, because they publicly followed their Rabbi, or teacher.
So they hide themselves in an upper room, away from their many persecutors. Can you imagine their fear? They hear every sound from the busy street below...people yelling, children crying, Roman soldiers and their horses clopping down the cobblestone streets.
Yet in their most fearful moment, they pray.
They come together in unison and pray for the Holy Spirit to come to them as Jesus promised.
The disciples begin saying a prayer that Jesus taught them (in Matthew 6:9-13) that is still used today called "The Lord's Prayer" and it goes like this:
Our Father, who art in Heaven, hallowed be Thy name.
Thy Kingdom come, Thy will be done, on Earth as it is in Heaven.
Give us this day, our daily bread.
And forgive Us our trespasses,
As We forgive Those who trespass against Us.
Lead Us not into temptation, but deliver Us from evil.
For Thine is the Kingdom, and the Power,
and the Glory forever.
Amen.
And while saying this prayer in unison, the Holy Spirit came upon them.
Just like the wind Nicodemus did not see, but he felt.
They all suddenly began to speak in different languages they didn't know. Not permanently. But the Holy Spirit was preparing the disciples to be able to speak to all the nations of all the earth, sharing God's infinite love for every one of us, baptizing the new believers in the name of Jesus, so that they can be born again to conquer death, just as Jesus did, and meet our Father in heaven.
You can read all about how the Holy Spirit comes upon the disciples from Luke, in the second chapter of Acts, or here in this link if you do not have a Bible.
Gosh what an awesome feeling! I'm just in awe of how AMAZING our Father is. He loves us more than we could EVER imagine and He so desperately wants to have a close relationship with you!!!
I'm learning first hand how wonderful this relationship is!!
It consumes my every thought, every day. And I'm so thankful for that! Because it allows me to immediately give all of life's worries to Him and He hears my every word, EVERY SINGLE TIME WE TALK!
He tells us to pray without ceasing. Think of the Holy Spirit as our direct line to the Father. He offers this free long-distance call to all who believe in Him and want a relationship with him! Make that call TODAY friends!
Father, thank you so much for Your loving sacrifice. We need Your presence now more than ever. The world we live in causes us to doubt and fear constantly, but we know that if we earnestly call on Your name, You will provide us with peace and the assurance we need through whatever trials we may be going through. Lord, thank you for giving us a direct line to You, that we can call upon You at any time in our life and You will answer! Lord, let us be filled with Your spirit and share this knowledge that we now know, with all those we know, and let us not be afraid to do so. We love You Father and thank you for all our many blessings! -Amen.
As always, if I can help/pray for you, please let me know! ae.ellingburg@gmail.com
Until next time :)
-A
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